On the subject of wilderness

Lent begins in a wilderness, and ends in a desolate place. Over these past few weeks I can't say that I have been in a wilderness, but could argue that I've been taming a wilderness. A small patch of land, about 60 sq m which is hopefully going to grow our vegetables for the coming year. It was part of a field covered with grass, nettles, brambles, docks and no doubt many other exciting varieties of weeds (sorry, wild flowers) that I have yet to discover. It has never, to my knowledge ever grown a crop worth eating, unless you count dandelions.
It has been hard work, and will continue to be so because many of the weeds will re-grow from the small pieces of root which we have been unable to remove, and they will do this throughout the seasons unless we continue to bend down and remove them. We would like to garden organically, and that it going to make the going even tougher, but if we percevere then we shall win the battle, and from a task which at the start seemed soul destroying we shall harvest something beautiful (I am an eternal optimist!) and I shall be fitter!
Most wilderness times in our lives can seem like a constant and soul destroying battle, but working through them, rather than sinking into them, can enable us to grow stronger and rise victorious from a dark and lonely place.